Live Review: India.Arie, Joss Stone

It was all Bluesfest soul lady double sideshow goodness tonight with Joss Stone and India.Arie. Stone was on early and light-hearted, generous of spirit and musically comfortable – right down to gushing to us that, “Indy was going to shed some light on the situation” with a full-on show to follow.

Speaking with a gentle English lilt, her voice, backed with the bells and whistles of a full band and trio of support singers, easily filled the theatre and spilled onto the road; just as well given punters were still streaming in throughout the hour-and-a-bit set. Highlights included old faves You Had Me and Put Your Hands On Me, while her version of (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People gave the charge (sorry) that you'd expect. Stone also again proved her way around a ballad, with Bruised But Not Broken just the right amount of bitter and twisted. Effortless, really.

After a beer and cake break (for us; this reviewer can't promise what was happening backstage), India.Arie changed the guard for more conventional and low-key gospel-inspired soul. Taking her cue direct from the festive season and somehow making This Little Light Of Mine sound good again after years of being massacred by primary school religion lessons, Arie's set was accomplished, but self-explained as a little off-target. The band lost one of their own during the tour with a key member needing to fly home for a funeral, and while it makes sense that some nights an artist might not really be 'feeling it', few are as honest, but still graceful, as Arie was. Talking through her hesitations she still sang with impeccable conviction, hamming it up with I Am Not My Hair (complete with dramatic wig flick at the end) and stopping for a big birthday cake and singalong for a crew member. Talking and playing with friend and co-writer Shannon Sanders, the two responded gently to crowd requests before choosing to play what made them happy instead – Just Do You as well as The Heart Of The Matter, and the odd little local cameo like a line or two of Lorde's Royals. Unquestionable highlight was the all in (including a cameo by Arie's mum) for Soulbird Rise, with lines of lyrics shared round like a pass the parcel, lovingly shaken, unwrapped and passed on again.